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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546382">Cardinal Direction</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightless__Wren/pseuds/Flightless__Wren'>Flightless__Wren</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Storm in the Stone [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dungeons &amp; Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons &amp; Dragons - All Media Types, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Dungeons &amp; Dragons, Dungeons &amp; Dragons References, F/M, Implied/Referenced Sex, Magic, NSFW, Original Character-centric, Pirates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:34:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546382</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightless__Wren/pseuds/Flightless__Wren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wren and Dom work through a miscommunication that leads to a steamy and soft make-up!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Character &amp; Original Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Storm in the Stone [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2013523</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cardinal Direction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>First post! I hope you all like it! </p><p>heavily nsfw at times! </p><p>my tumblr: https://flightless-wren.tumblr.com/</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been two very awkward days since the night that Dom had slow-danced with her in the makeshift tavern in the belly of the ship. Wren had been careful to sneak out of his quarters before dawn and back into the small closet the crew had made into a small cozy alcove for her to rest. Dom had, the next day, given her a colder-than-usual shoulder and avoided eye contact at all costs. When she had said a chipper “G’mornin’ Captain,” he had grunted and turned away, retreating back into his room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This morning, Dominic had tried to be friendlier but Wren had been gutted and ignored him, fueling the crew’s joking atmosphere with a few  loud “oouu” and some “damn capt’n!”’s. She knew his eyes were on her. She knew he was moving around the ship like gravity, like magnets, like tides. Always being drawn to her, always her mirror image. And she really really tried not to care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How could he hold her like that, kiss her so hungrily, touch her in ways that made her skin hot just thinking about it, and then bam, nothing? Was he embarrassed of her? Was this all just a game to him? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was braiding some rope with Tork, a short gnomish teen who was humming some sea shanty she had yet to learn under his breath, when a shadow loomed over them and a throat cleared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C-Captain!” Tork exclaimed, saluting so quickly he hit himself hard in the face. “I’m sorry, um how can we help you sir!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At ease, Tork. I’m here for Wren.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without looking at him, she sighed. “I’m a bit busy actually, lots of rope to braid.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God damn it, that’s enough!” he shouted, startling her into looking at him. His eyes were red and a little puffy, a sure sign of crying, and he looked like he was far off in a land of his own mind. She could see past him to where Rolo and Kairn were moving some barrels and had paused. Guppy’s head poked out of the small opening to the areas below deck. All eyes were on them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, my office. Now.” he muttered. She was frozen. He turned his tired eyes to her, but they were barely recognizable, no warmth in the brown murky haze. “That’s a fucking order.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, he turned around, coat billowing with his movement, and everyone very quickly went back to their jobs. Only Rolo was brave enough to watch as Wren slowly stood up, face as red as the wine she had drunk only nights before, and followed Dominic into his quarters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she entered, the warm glow of his lanterns was still there, a stark contrast to the frozen tundra that was Dominic Greystone. He sat, back to her, and whispered “please, close the door, will you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She obliged and took a few steps forward, standing in the middle of his chambers. HIs desk and chair to her right, his haphazardly made bed on her left. The room had the faint smell of tobacco and gin, but nothing in sight made her believe that he had been drinking prior to this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air sat heavy, like a cinderblock on her chest. If neither could gather the courage to speak, surely they would both drown in the tension?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, I-- did I-- was it--” he trailed off and turned to face her. His smooth disposition rattled and his lip was quivering. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was he about to cry?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Feeling a surge of an emotion she couldn’t quite name and that she couldn’t push down, she took a few more steps towards him, pulling a stool with her and sat down. He took a deep breath. “I am sorry if the other night was… too much or not what you wanted or if I did something wrong? I must admit that usually… when I’m with a woman… there are no feelings involved and I just… are you okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I… okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes… you… left. You just weren’t there, when i awoke, so i thought… maybe… it wasn’t… i don’t know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sharp intake of breath. “Oh,” she whispered. “I left because well, I thought that you wouldn’t want the men to know or to see me… here… with you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why wouldn’t  I--” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she interjected. “Not yet. I have a question for you…  why, when you did awake that morning after, did you ignore the hell out of me, Dom? Make me feel vile and unwanted and like I was just a plaything to you? I had thought that night was… magic or ecstasy or paradise. But then, you give me the cold shoulder and I am what? Supposed to just know that you were mad I thought of your reputation?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-- I just wanted you to have space and I was, frankly, hurt more than I care to admit.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t help it. She started laughing. The absurdity of the whole situation filled her with an undeniable need to giggle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is so funny, princess?” he murmured, gaining some of his composure back as the conversation went on. </span>
</p><p><span>“This, us. Do you hear how stupid we sound?”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“I-- well, yes,” he admitted, beginning to chuckle and, absentmindedly put a hand on hers. “We are something, aren’t we?” </span></p><p>
  <span>“Something indeed, captain.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,no, no captain… please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? You can call me princess, but I can’t call you captain?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, “we’re getting off topic. Um, maybe the next time… that we uh, share a bed… you can stay until morning?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that can be arranged.” she whispered, pulling his hand up to her lips. Dom stood up and drew her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. She sighed and leaned her head against his chest. “I really thought you hated me, Dom. Or, at least hated the sex.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled back slightly to look at her. “Ayareniall, for someone who is so smart, you can be really dumb. How on earth could I ever have hated the sex? Or shit, how could you think I could hate you? You are… amazing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked down at her feet and felt him take her hand. He drew her over to the bed and she followed him, floating on the affection that had been swimming in his brown eyes. He sat down and she, not wanting to miss a thing, swung her leg over him and pushed him back. HIs golden curls sprawled out upon his silk pillowcase. His hands, soft and gentle, grabbed at the edge of her shirt and yanked her down to him, mouth meeting mouth in rough entanglement. A light moan slipped through her lips as his teeth gently bit at her and she grabbed his hands, holding them down above his head. But as she glanced down at him, her hair continued to fall into her face, lush curls of auburn and dark brown cascading into her view. It was enough to drive her mad. How did women deal with this all of the time? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She brushed it out of her face, only to have it fall back. Dom smirked at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, it’s fine, please… kiss me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The need in his voice pulled her back in but, the curls sticking to her already hot skin made her feel irrationally mad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, I can’t deal with this shit.” she leaned over and snatched his dagger off the bedside table. As she pulled it out of it’s small sheath, she felt Dom wriggle beneath her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, princess, what are you-- oh!’ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quickly shut up as he watched her gather all of her hair in one hand and, in one swift motion, sliced it off into a short chin length bob. Wren tossed her hair and the dagger to the floor before looking down at him, teasingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, baby, did you think I was going to hurt you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dom swallowed and, without an answer, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her down to him, and rolled over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweetheart, you have a lot to learn about me…” he whispered into her ear before kissing his way down, unbuttoning her shirt as he went. “Fear wasn’t the issue there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hands grasped at his hair as he flicked her nipple with his tongue and then chuckled before kissing her again, hand slipping into her pants. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see,” he muttered, his voice husky and low, “if I can learn you a few things.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As one hand slipped inside her, she felt a moan bubbling to her lips. Dom must have sensed it,  because his free hand clasped itself over her mouth, firm and warm. He clicked his tongue a few times in mock disappointment and leaned in close to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you know, princess, that there is no talking when class is in session? Don’t make me warn you again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slid his hand off of her mouth and used it to, with expert deftness, unclasp his belt and untie his breeches. He slipped out of his pants and used both hands to pull her trousers down as well, inching his way lower with every tug. He kissed her inner thigh once, then twice, then three times, and Wren summoned all of her willpower to stifle the cry of feral need that swelled up inside her. She felt her body rising after his lips as they pulled away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dom-I… you need to…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smug smirk flashed across his face and he kissed his way back up to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say my name again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dom…” the name morphed into a moan as he slipped inside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With his command, she barely uttered “Dom” as her fingers grasped at his bare back, nails digging into his skin. Hips bucking, the want and need of their bodies pulsating with desire. Dom bit her ear and her hands grabbed his hips, pushing him into a different rhythm. She  pressed her lips to his neck, marking her territory with a love bite here and another on the curve of his clavicle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, darling, if you keep that up I--” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His words were cut off by her lips meeting his. This hunger, this starvation, being satiated with every touch and kiss and thrust. Her body, a woodland forest. His body, an earthquake. Both meeting and colliding and shifting together. She felt her muscles tense, back arch, and the mountain that was her came crumbling into his hands. He let out a sigh, a soft chuckle, and pressed light feathers of a kiss upon her forehead, before lying down beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wren snuggled up to him, could feel his heartbeat coming to a slow rest. His hand was lazily drawing circles on her back as he sighed, the most content sound that she had heard since being out at sea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to look up him and found he was already staring at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, you… can I show you something?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With her nod, he leaned over and dug around in his jacket pocket, pulling out a small bit of fleece. He came back to her and snuggled up, tossing the fleece into the air, muttering something under his breath and moving his hand in a wonderful swirl. From the fleece, a bursting landscape, autumnal and warm, came forth. The waves crashed against a coastal cliff and the streets bustled forth with life, the sounds of chattering and street-going filling up his chamber. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched in awe as a ship landed upon the lower coast and she recognized it, the Crimson Storm. A small teen, curly mop of golden hair and a tattered brown tunic and loose-fitting leather trouser crouched down behind a large shipment of barrels and crates on the side of the dock. Then, the image flashed, colors swirling to show a young adult, in a long blue coat, much like the one that Dom had lying on the floor. As the imagery of the man turned to shout to his crew, a large dragon turtle was seen off in the distance. The image flashed and swirled again, showing Dom ragged and hurt, the remains of his crew before him, all dead except Rolo, who Wren watched cry into Dom’s arms. The colors swirled. Dom was atop the crow’s nest, the new crew getting their bearings below as he stared up to the night sky. She heard him whisper “</span>
  <em>
    <span>send me someone, please, Kord. Anyone. I just am so tired of being lost.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, as quickly as the image appeared, it was gone. The smell of salt air sitting not as strong, but still there, since they were at sea. Dom sighed.

Wren looked up at him. “Was that... Dom, I— I am so very sorry...”

He kissed her hand, a sad smile slowly turning into one of brilliant adoration, and threw another piece of fleece up. A brilliant small swath of night sky painted itself above them. His hands gently cradled her face as he stared, brown into green. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said you were amazing earlier but um, you are much much more than that. You know that right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, “if you say so Dom, but…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no.” he said with earnest fervor. “You are… you are this night sky, with the perfect constellation of stars, guiding me wherever I go. You are my due north, my setting and rising sun. You are the guidance I needed, the heart that beats against this wild ribcage.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He used one of his fists to beat gently against his chest before reaching out and placing it on her heart. “I love you, Ayareniall Duskwalker. And, I plan on loving you for a long while still.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could feel the tears beginning to well up in her eyes so she flung her arms around him and kissed him with all the love, she was so glad to have a name for this emotion, that she could muster.</span>
</p>
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